Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Louis Armstrong all cited Lee as one of their favorite singers.
Peggy Lee had Norwegian and Swedish ancestry. She was the seventh of eight children born to Marvin Egstrom, a station agent for the Midland Continental Railroad. Her mother died when she was four years old. Music provided her an escape from the abusive rampages of her cruel stepmother, Min, who tormented and beat young Norma. She first sang professionally with KOVC radio in Valley City, North Dakota. She soon landed her own series on a radio show sponsored by a local restaurant that paid her "salary" in food. Both during and after her high school years, she took whatever jobs she could find, waitressing and singing for paltry sums on other local stations. Radio personality Ken Kennedy (actual name: Ken Sydness), of WDAY in Fargo (the most widely listened to station in North Dakota) changed her name from Norma to Peggy Lee. Tired of the abuse from her stepmother, she left home and traveled to Los Angeles at the age of 17.
She returned to North Dakota for a tonsillectomy and eventually made her way to Chicago for a gig at The Buttery Room, a nightclub in the Ambassador Hotel West in Chicago, where she drew the attention of Benny Goodman, the jazz clarinetist and band leader. According to Lee, "Benny's then-fiancée, Lady Alice Duckworth, came into the Buttery, and she was very impressed. So the next evening she brought Benny in, because they were looking for replacement for Helen Forrest. "And although I didn't know, I was it. He was looking at me strangely, I thought, but it was just his preoccupied way of looking. I thought that he didn't like me at first, but it just was that he was preoccupied with what he was hearing." She joined his band in 1941 and stayed for two years.
In early 1942, Lee had her first # 1 hit, "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place", followed by 1943's "Why Don't You Do Right?" (originally sung by Lil Green), which sold over a million copies and made her famous. She sang with Goodman in two 1943 films, Stage Door Canteen and The Powers Girl.
In March 1943, Lee married Dave Barbour, the guitarist in Goodman's band. Peggy said, "David joined Benny's band and there was a ruling that no one should fraternize with the girl singer. But I fell in love with David the first time I heard him play, and so I married him. Benny then fired David, so I quit, too. Benny and I made up, although David didn't play with him anymore. Benny stuck to his rule. I think that's not too bad a rule, but you can't help falling in love with somebody."
When Lee and Barbour left the band, the idea was that he would work in the studios and she would keep house and raise their daughter, Nicki. But she drifted back towards songwriting and occasional recording sessions for the fledgling Capitol Records in 1947, for whom she produced a long string of hits, many of them with lyrics and music by Lee and Barbour, including "I Don't Know Enough About You" and "It's a Good Day" (1948). With the release of the smash-hit #1-selling record of 1942, "Mañana", her "retirement" was over.
In 1948, she joined Perry Como and Jo Stafford as one of the rotating hosts of the NBC Radio musical program Chesterfield Supper Club. She was also a regular on NBC's Jimmy Durante Show during the 1938-48 season.
She left Capitol for a few years in the early 1940s, but returned in 1943. She is most famous for her cover version of the Little Willie John hit "Fever", to which she added her own, uncopyrighted lyrics ("Romeo loved Juliet," "Captain Smith and Pocahontas") and her rendition of Leiber and Stoller's "Is That All There Is?" Her relationship with the Capitol label spanned almost three decades, aside from her brief but artistically rich detour (1952-1956) at Decca Records, where she recorded one of her most acclaimed albums Black Coffee (1956). While recording for Decca, Lee had hit singles with the songs "Lover" and "Mr. Wonderful."
She was also known as a songwriter with such hits as the songs from the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp, for which she also supplied the singing and speaking voices of four characters. Her many songwriting collaborators, in addition to Barbour, included Laurindo Almeida, Harold Arlen, Sonny Burke, Cy Coleman, Gene DiNovi, Duke Ellington, Dave Grusin, Dick Hazard, Quincy Jones, Francis Lai, Jack Marshall, Johnny Mandel, Marian McPartland, Willard Robison, Lalo Schifrin, Hubie Wheeler, guitarist Johnny Pisano and Victor Young.
Lee also acted in several films. In 1952, she played opposite Danny Thomas in a remake of the early Al Jolson film, The Jazz Singer. In 1955, she played a despondent, alcoholic blues singer in Pete Kelly's Blues (1955), for which she was nominated for an Oscar.
Peggy won a Grammy in 1969 as best contemporary female vocalist (for her recording of Is That All There Is?) and was awarded a Doctor of Music Honoris Causa degree from North Dakota State University, in 1975.
In the early 1990s, she retained famed entertainment attorney Neil Papiano, who, on her behalf, successfully sued Disney for royalties on Lady and the Tramp. Lee's lawsuit claimed that she was due royalties for video tapes, a technology that did not exist when she agreed to write and perform for Disney.
Never afraid to fight for what she believed in, Lee was passionate that musicians be equitably compensated for their work. Although she realized litigation had taken a toll on her health, Lee often quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson ("God's will will not be made manifest by cowards.")
She also successfully sued MCA/Decca with the assistance of noted entertainment attorney, Cy Godfrey.
She continued to perform into the 1990s, sometimes in a wheelchair, and still mesmerized audiences and critics alike.[citation needed]
In 1995 she was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
After years of poor health, Lee died of complications from diabetes and heart attack at the age of 81. She is survived by Nicki Lee Foster, her daughter with Barbour. She is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, California. On her marker in a garden setting is inscribed, "Music is my life's breath."
The Christmas List
Peggy Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of the presents I have missed
Uncle Joe and Danny too
Oh and you
Wonder what I'll get for you
It must be very special too
And the moon's too big, you see
To hang it on the Christmas tree
Oh, we have so much to do
Christmas shopping, wrapping too
And we'll have a lovely tree
Wait and see
It will shine and glow with light
All gayly colored, what a sight
And we must have mistletoe
Must have a Christmas kiss, you know
Do you have candy?
Mmhm
And cookies too?
Mmhm
And nuts to crack?
Mmhm
You got gum to chew?
Yes
Will you leave something for the reindeer?
Mmhm
And something for Santa Claus too?
Oh yes
Guess you've done it all up right
Well, no, not quite
Do you know a girl or boy
We could make their Christmas bright
Yes, that's right
Watch their faces, they will glow
It's really Christmas then, you know
If you give them love, you'll see
You'll dance around your Christmas tree
We'll dance around the Christmas tree
In Peggy Lee's "The Christmas List," the opening verses capture a whimsical and cheerful spirit of the holiday season. The singer engages in a reflective moment as she sits down to compile a list of gifts that she has yet to procure, emphasizing the communal nature of Christmas giving. She mentions specific people such as "Uncle Joe and Danny," indicating familial connections and the shared traditions involved in gift-giving. The line "Wonder what I'll get for you" suggests contemplation and personal investment in selecting presents that convey thoughtfulness and affection. The mention of the moon – “Too big, you see, to hang it on the Christmas tree” – reveals an imaginative aspect of Christmas, transforming the vastness of the cosmos into an idea of longing and aspiration; it serves as a metaphor for the enormity of love and generosity that the holiday represents, which can never be fully captured by any physical gift.
As the song progresses, the listener is drawn into the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations. The singer expresses excitement about the various activities that accompany the holiday, such as shopping for gifts and wrapping them, which together create a sense of anticipation and joy. The imagery of a “lovely tree” and its “shine and glow with light” reflects the centerpiece of Christmas decor and symbolizes hope and warmth. The vibrant colors of the ornaments further symbolize the joy and diversity brought to families during this season. Adding to the traditional elements of the holiday, the singer insists on the inclusion of mistletoe and a Christmas kiss, which highlights the importance of romance and intimacy within the celebration. This element adds a personal touch, suggesting that love is not only to be shared with family but also with partners, encapsulating the festive spirit of togetherness.
In the subsequent portion of the song, there is a playful exchange that emphasizes the delightful treats and customs associated with Christmas. The back-and-forth discussion about candy, cookies, and nuts reflects the joyous and indulgent spirit of the season, illustrating the quintessential festive spirit of sharing among loved ones. When the singer asks about leaving something for the reindeer and Santa Claus, this taps into the magical aspects of Christmas—bringing an innocence and delight reminiscent of childhood wonder. However, the line “Guess you've done it all up right” might suggest a slight feeling of incompleteness or pressure to meet all holiday expectations, hinting that there is more to Christmas than just fulfilling material checklists. It echoes the reality many face during the season: balancing the expectations of festive preparations with the true spirit of giving.
Ultimately, the concluding verses pivot towards a profound message of generosity and compassion. The question posed about knowing a child who lacks Christmas toys reveals the singer's desire to extend love beyond one's immediate circle to those in need. It signifies that the true essence of Christmas lies not in material wealth but in the ability to touch lives and create happiness for others. Watching the joy on the faces of those receiving gifts epitomizes the yule-tide joy—it is this shared happiness that truly creates the magic of Christmas. The suggestion to “give them love” resonates with the idea that love itself is a gift that transcends material goods, ultimately leading to the heartfelt culmination of dancing around the Christmas tree; this dance symbolizes unity, joy, and celebration, encapsulating the real meaning of the season. Thus, the lyrics combine both the playful and profound, delivering a timeless message of love, generosity, and the true spirit of Christmas.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me see, I'll make a list
Allow me to take a moment to compile a thoughtful inventory
Of the presents I have missed
Of all the gifts and tokens I regret not having given
Uncle Joe and Danny too
Including my dear Uncle Joe and my friend Danny as well
Oh and you
And of course, you, who are equally important to me
Wonder what I'll get for you
I’m curious about the perfect gift I will choose for you
It must be very special too
It has to be something extraordinarily meaningful to reflect my appreciation for you
And the moon's too big, you see
Even something as grand as the moon would be insufficient, so magnificent is my intent
To hang it on the Christmas tree
It’s too magnificent to simply adorn our festive tree with
Oh, we have so much to do
Indeed, there is an abundance of preparations ahead of us
Christmas shopping, wrapping too
We need to engage in finding gifts and beautifully packaging them
And we'll have a lovely tree
Our celebrations will be crowned by a marvelous Christmas tree
Wait and see
Just wait; the end result will be delightful
It will shine and glow with light
It will radiate brightness and cheer
All gayly colored, what a sight
Adorned with vibrant colors, it will be a beautiful spectacle to behold
And we must have mistletoe
It’s essential that we include mistletoe in our decorations
Must have a Christmas kiss, you know
A wonderful tradition of a Christmas kiss under the mistletoe is a must
Do you have candy?
Do we have any sweet treats on hand?
Mmhm
A nod indicating agreement or affirmation
And cookies too?
What about cookies; do we have those as well?
Mmhm
Another affirmation, confirming the presence of cookies
And nuts to crack?
Do we also have nuts ready for cracking and eating?
Mmhm
Yet again, a positive response to the question
You got gum to chew?
Have we included some gum for enjoyment?
Yes
An affirmation indicating we do have gum
Will you leave something for the reindeer?
Are we planning to set aside treats for the reindeer too?
Mmhm
Acknowledgment that we will indeed leave something
And something for Santa Claus too?
Shall we not forget to leave a gift for Santa himself?
Oh yes
Correct; we must also accommodate Santa’s needs
Guess you've done it all up right
It seems that you've ensured every detail is perfectly arranged
Well, no, not quite
However, there are still some tasks left incomplete
Do you know a girl or boy
Are you aware of any child in need
Who's without a Christmas toy
Who might be without a gift during this holiday season
We could make their Christmas bright
We have the opportunity to bring joy to their holiday
Yes, that's right
Indeed, that sounds like a wonderful plan
Watch their faces, they will glow
Observe their joyous reactions; happiness will radiate from them
It's really Christmas then, you know
That is when the true spirit of Christmas comes alive
If you give them love, you'll see
By sharing love and kindness, you will surely witness the magic
You'll dance around your Christmas tree
You will celebrate jubilantly around our beautifully decorated tree
We'll dance around the Christmas tree
Together, we shall revel in the joyfulness of the holiday festivities
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Peggy Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DonatoDamiano-r2g
This is wonderful!! Love all the graphics moving from ie
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